Page Object Model in Automation Testing is one of the most popular design patterns for building maintainable and scalable test scripts. It is widely used by QA teams who want to write clean, reusable, and easy-to-maintain code when automating tests for web applications.
The idea is simple yet powerful. Instead of mixing locators and actions directly in test scripts, the page object pattern in Selenium and other frameworks groups all the elements and actions of a page inside a dedicated class. This makes your test cases shorter, cleaner, and easier to update whenever the UI changes.
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The Page Object Model in Automation Testing is a design pattern that creates an object-oriented class for each web page in your application. Each class contains locators for UI elements and methods to perform actions on those elements. This structure keeps the test logic separate from the page structure, which makes the code easier to read and maintain.
The POM framework for automation testing is widely used in Selenium test automation. By using this model, teams can avoid duplication of code, make test scripts more reusable, and improve overall code quality. It is a foundation for building a scalable test automation framework that supports rapid development and frequent UI updates.
Here is a simple example to show how the page object pattern in Selenium improves test scripts. Without POM, a test script might include locators and actions directly in the code. With POM, all locators and actions are stored in a dedicated page class, and the test script calls simple high-level methods:
WebDriver driver = new ChromeDriver();
driver.get("https://example.com/login");
driver.findElement(By.id("username")).sendKeys("user");
driver.findElement(By.id("password")).sendKeys("pass");
driver.findElement(By.id("loginButton")).click();
Now see how the same test looks when using POM design in test automation. The locators and actions live inside a LoginPage class. The test script only calls a simple method, which improves readability and maintainability.
LoginPage loginPage = new LoginPage(driver);
loginPage.loginAs("user", "pass");
This simple change shows the benefits of page object model for large test suites. It keeps code clean and easier to manage. When the login page changes, you only update the LoginPage class. All tests that use this class will continue to work without any other changes.
The Page Object Model in Automation Testing is a proven way to make automated tests more efficient. It is especially helpful for teams that work with fast-changing UIs or need to run a large number of tests frequently. The POM framework for automation testing gives structure to test code so that it stays clean and reusable.
By placing all element locators and actions inside a page class, you improve reusability. Each page class serves as a single source of truth for that page. Test scripts become shorter because they only call methods from the page class rather than writing the same steps again and again.
POM design in test automation also improves maintainability. When a UI element changes, you only update the locator in the page class. All tests that use that page class will continue to run without further changes.
The page object pattern in Selenium is highly scalable. It works very well for large projects with many pages and complex user flows. As your test suite grows, you can add more page classes and component objects without rewriting old tests.
For example, imagine an eCommerce app with more than thirty test cases for the checkout process. The “Place Order” button changes its locator after a new release.
With the page object model, you only update the locator inside the CheckoutPage class. All related test cases will still run successfully without any extra edits.
The Page Object Model in Automation Testing is made up of several core components. Each of these plays a specific role in keeping test code organized and easy to maintain. When combined, they form a POM framework for automation testing that supports scalability and clean test design.
Page classes represent individual web pages in your application. They store element locators and provide methods to interact with those elements. For example, a LoginPage class might include methods like setEmail, setPassword, and clickLogin. These methods hide low level details from the test script and improve code reusability.
Test classes contain the actual test cases. They call methods from the page classes to perform actions. A test class for login might create a new LoginPage object and call loginAs("user", "pass"). This separation makes test cases more readable and focused on business logic rather than UI details.
The base class is an optional shared class that handles setup and teardown tasks. It usually initializes the WebDriver, sets browser configurations, and closes the browser after test execution. Test classes can extend the base class so that they automatically inherit these settings. This reduces duplicate code across tests.
Page Factory is a Selenium feature that helps initialize elements in page classes. By using annotations like @FindBy, you can define element locators once and let Selenium handle initialization. Page Factory simplifies the POM design in test automation and makes page classes easier to manage.
Together, these components form the structure of the page object pattern in Selenium. They allow you to create a maintainable test automation framework that can grow with your application.
The best way to understand the Page Object Model in Automation Testing is by looking at a real example. Below is a simple Gmail login test built with the page object pattern in Selenium. Each step shows how to create clean and maintainable code that follows POM design in test automation.
The TestBase class is responsible for setting up the WebDriver, configuring the browser, and closing it after tests run. This avoids repeating setup code in every test class.
public class TestBase {
public WebDriver driver;
@BeforeMethod
public void setUp() {
driver = new ChromeDriver();
driver.manage().window().maximize();
driver.get("https://mail.google.com");
}
@AfterMethod
public void tearDown() {
driver.quit();
}
}
This page class contains locators and methods for interacting with the Gmail login page. Using @FindBy annotations with Page Factory makes the code cleaner.
public class GmailLoginPage {
WebDriver driver;
@FindBy(id = "identifierId")
WebElement emailField;
@FindBy(name = "password")
WebElement passwordField;
@FindBy(id = "identifierNext")
WebElement nextButton;
public GmailLoginPage(WebDriver driver) {
this.driver = driver;
PageFactory.initElements(driver, this);
}
public void setEmail(String email) {
emailField.sendKeys(email);
}
public void setPassword(String password) {
passwordField.sendKeys(password);
}
public void clickNext() {
nextButton.click();
}
public GmailHomePage loginAs(String email, String password) {
setEmail(email);
clickNext();
setPassword(password);
clickNext();
return new GmailHomePage(driver);
}
}
The test class extends TestBase to inherit setup and teardown logic. It creates a GmailLoginPage object and calls the loginAs method for a clean and simple test.
public class GmailLoginTest extends TestBase {
@Test
public void verifyLogin() {
GmailLoginPage loginPage = new GmailLoginPage(driver);
GmailHomePage homePage = loginPage.loginAs("user@gmail.com", "password123");
}
}
The GmailHomePage class can be created to represent the landing page after login. It allows you to chain page objects so that each page action returns the correct page class.
public class GmailHomePage {
WebDriver driver;
public GmailHomePage(WebDriver driver) {
this.driver = driver;
PageFactory.initElements(driver, this);
}
public String getLoggedInUser() {
return driver.getTitle();
}
}
This step by step example shows how the POM framework for automation testing creates clear and reusable code. Each class has a single responsibility, which improves readability and makes future maintenance easy.
The Page Object Model in Automation Testing provides many benefits that make test automation easier to manage. It gives teams a reliable structure that can grow with the application. Below are the main advantages of using the page object pattern in Selenium and other frameworks.
POM design in test automation increases reusability because each page class holds all locators and actions for that page. When you update a locator in the page class, all dependent tests automatically use the new locator. This saves time and reduces effort in maintaining large test suites.
The benefits of page object model include better maintainability. If the UI changes, you only need to update the affected page class. Test cases stay the same and continue to run as expected. This approach is very helpful for projects with frequent UI updates.
The page object model best practices encourage keeping test scripts focused on business logic. Testers write short and clear scripts because they just call high level methods like loginAs or addToCart. The low level details stay hidden inside page classes. This improves readability for the whole team.
A POM framework for automation testing works well in CI/CD pipelines. It keeps test scripts modular and version controlled. Teams can add more pages and features without changing existing tests. This structure supports faster releases and more reliable automated testing.
The Page Object Model in Automation Testing can be extended to handle complex pages. Many modern web applications have pages with multiple repeating sections. By creating component objects, you can model these sections as reusable parts of a page class.
For example, a ProductsPage can have many Product components. Each Product component contains its own locators and actions, such as getting the name or price and adding the product to the cart. This composition makes the POM framework for automation testing more modular and easier to scale.
public class ProductComponent {
WebDriver driver;
WebElement productElement;
public ProductComponent(WebDriver driver, WebElement productElement) {
this.driver = driver;
this.productElement = productElement;
PageFactory.initElements(driver, this);
}
@FindBy(className = "product-name")
WebElement name;
@FindBy(className = "product-price")
WebElement price;
@FindBy(className = "add-to-cart")
WebElement addToCartButton;
public String getName() {
return name.getText();
}
public String getPrice() {
return price.getText();
}
public void addToCart() {
addToCartButton.click();
}
}
This page object pattern in Selenium lets you build test scripts that interact with specific components on a page. It increases reusability and keeps page classes well structured. The benefits of page object model become even greater as your application grows and more UI components are added.
Following best practices helps you get the most out of the Page Object Model in Automation Testing. These tips make your POM framework for automation testing more robust, reusable, and easier to maintain.
The Page Object Model in Automation Testing creates cleaner and more maintainable test scripts compared to non POM testing. The table below shows the key differences between the two approaches.
| Aspect | Non POM Testing | Page Object Model |
|---|---|---|
| Structure | Locators and actions mixed inside test scripts | Locators and actions stored inside page classes |
| Maintainability | Updating UI changes requires editing every affected test | Updating one page class applies to all dependent tests |
| Code duplication | High because steps are repeated in many test cases | Low because actions are centralized in page classes |
| Readability | Tests include technical details that make scripts longer | Tests focus on business logic with short clear methods |
| Scalability | Harder to scale as the number of test cases increases | Easier to scale by adding more page classes and methods |
This comparison shows how the benefits of page object model make it the better choice for building a scalable and maintainable automation framework.
Katalon Studio supports the Page Object Model in Automation Testing through its built in Object Repository, custom keywords, and flexible scripting features. It makes creating a POM framework for automation testing easier for both beginners and experienced testers.
Follow these steps to implement the page object pattern in Katalon Studio:
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The Page Object Model in Automation Testing is the foundation for creating maintainable and scalable UI test scripts. It keeps test code clean, reusable, and easy to update when applications grow and interfaces evolve. Teams that follow the page object pattern in Selenium and similar frameworks save time and improve test reliability.
Katalon Studio makes it easier to implement a POM framework for automation testing. With its Object Repository, custom keywords, and CI or CD integrations, Katalon provides a complete solution for building structured and efficient test automation. Using these features helps teams get the full benefits of page object model while delivering high quality applications faster.